Friday, April 30, 2010

Bonaventura Talks TF3 in 3D, Mythology

Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura spoke with MTV about Transformers 3 in 3-D and Transformer mythology. There was also a little talk of the "feud" between Megan Fox and Michael Bay which basically came down to "much ado about nothing." The full interview is here, highlights below.
MTV: So there's been talk about shooting "Transformers 3" in 3-D or converting it after the fact. Where are you at in terms of that discussion with Bay and Paramount?
Lorenzo di Bonaventura: We're literally in the middle of that. There's no definitive answer. I think the answer is that as James Cameron, who had plenty and plenty of time to do it, even he converted some of it [edit: first we're hearing that "Avatar" had 3-D converted elements!]. So I think the answer is that, as with most movies, you're going to do some kind of combination if you end up doing it. I'm sure 3-D cameras are going to get lighter and more manageable and all the things that get in the way right now. Over time, that may change. But I think in the near and medium term, most movies will do a combination when and if they do it.

MTV: We've been hearing a lot about the third film's return to the core mythology.
di Bonaventura: I didn't think we veered away from the mythology in the second one. We stay pretty close to mythology in general, sometimes we add to it, as we did on the first and the second one. In second one, we're dealing with the matrix of leadership, a very clear mythological component. The Fallen is one of the original 13 Transformers. We were sticking fairly close to the mythology. We are going to continue to explore the past in the third one and that will continue to inform the present. I think it's pretty much the same thing we did on the first two: you try to get as close as you can to the lore and sometimes you run into pieces where there's not enough information to make a judgment, so you make your own call. That's a necessary component. By and large, the fans have accepted and embraced what we've been doing.
If the schedule will allow it, I am pretty confident that Paramount will go for a 3D conversion of the film even without Bay's blessing. I don't think the 3-D market has proven itself but the temptation of an additional $5 per ticket for what is a relatively inexpensive process (compared to the overall cost of a movie) is too tempting for the studio to pass on. I am sure they already have visions of "Transformers 3 in IMAX 3-D!".

14 comments:

  1. i want to see the movie

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  2. Mr. di Bonaventura please don't say you've stayed close to core mythology because you haven't in so many ways it takes to long to explain. Just keep making sure another transformers 2 doesn't happen... You're walking the edge be careful.

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  3. Why is it always 'mythology' and not 'history'? We have giant sentient robots from another planet that can turn into cars, isn't that enough fantastic fantasy without adding in their gods and 'biblical' items? I'd like to see more about the war and the things the robots had to endure to get this far. Make them easier to connect with.
    But that's just me...
    Oh, and NO 3D PLEASE.

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  4. In my opinion there is simply not enough time to do Transformers 3 in 3-D and end up with a good movie in the end. James Cameron spent years on Avatar, and the quality of the product in the end shows. Trying to do a special effects intense move like Transforms simply cannot be left to some half-assed post production 3-D conversion.

    If the studio wants to get greedy and push 3-D without allowing for the additional time to do it right, then I think the fans should send a message by boycott the movie then.

    After all, this could be the last movie in the franchise and I sure don't want so damn studio executives with dollar signs in their eyes running the risk of turning the movie into a disappointing joke.

    If you're going to do 3-D, especially with content like transformers, it should be done right!

    If only there was some way to get the word to Paramount that they need to back off of the 3-D ideas and let Bay do his job. I've been perfectly happy with the effects in the movies so far. Come people, lets not mess up a good thing with a new gimmick.

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  5. Well, about the 3D, how was it with Avatar? over 80% of that huge income came from3D, if I remember correctly, and that's due to the movie-goers really enjoying the 3D-Experience.
    That's actually more than enough, to let people think seriously about the 3D-Version of a Movie.

    Also, adding te 3D-Part after the Movie got shot in 2D, wouldn't end up as good as when it would have been shot in 3D from the beginning(making an 2D-Image looking 2D would actually involve faking the slightly changed viewpoint, and that ought to be inferior to true 3D-Recrding).

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  6. Please, oh, please don't make the movie in 3D I think that will take away from the movie. In other words... you'll make a great movie, then you'll add the 3D and it might make it look... FAKE!!! You're trying to make the movie look believible!

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  7. this interview makes it sound like principle photography won't start until july 4 in chicago, but i thought the previously reported start date was in may. i'm so freakin confused...and worried. because a july 4 start date seems like an awfully short shoot.
    anyone know what the heck is going on?

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  8. Martinus Prime5/02/2010 9:36 AM

    I'm also a bit worried! Ok, in 1 year you can easily shoot 60 days of filming. But when the hell are they gonna start shooting? There is a lot to do. The TF1 teaser trailer was online 1 year before the movie came out.

    And enough with the ff-ing 3D already, 3D is hoax! The whole world is already fed up with 3D!
    I think Paramount already made their mind up, and we will get a 3D(conversion), they decided at the last minute to convert The Last Airbender into 3D, and said the releasedate is not going to move. How awful will that be, if they are saying it takes 3 months to convert??

    I keep my fingers crossed and hope Bay gives us great movie!

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  9. I keep hoping beyond hope they adapt some of the plot pieces from the 1985 movie. Megatron and Starscream veering off into space...and hello Galvatron and Sweeps. Found, in the Egyptian desert? Dinosaur bones. Hello, Dinobots. Mr. Bay, feel free to borrow these ideas.

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  10. Yes, Dinobots plese.

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  11. Nelson from Bay's website said principle shooting will start mid May in LA and July 4 in Chicago.

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  12. I think di Bonaventura is justified in some respects: he has tried to give a retelling of the G1 saga, only with an alien design, reworked favourite characters (and old ones too) and a mythology that draws upon elements from other sagas (the comics, Beast Wars, Armada)

    I enjoyed TFilm2; it wasn't as good as the first film (most Decepticons had no personality, jumps in geography/time), but it was still coherent enouigh for me to follow. But like many others, I hope that TFilm3 will be a good story as well as a smash hit.

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  13. Well the film is almost here, and I couldn't be more excited. The 3D is going to be awesome, and I literally can't wait. Thanks for all you do to keep us posted on this.

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